"Carry On, Nurse Fred" is the twenty-fourth episode of the third season and the eighty-fourth overall episode of the original series, The Flintstones. It aired on March 1, 1963.
Synopsis[]
Wilma's mother has sent a very strict and rigid nurse, Ms. Frightenshale to take care of baby Pebbles and the household.
Plot[]
Fred's troubles with being a new father have only just begun. Wilma's mother has contracted with a nurse named Ms. Frightenshale, who is equally as loud and insufferably dictatorial to Fred as his mother-in-law, to tend to Pebbles' needs while the newborn is slowly adjusting to life at home. Frightenshale confiscates and disposes of Fred's cigar and a floral arrangement presented to Fred and Wilma by Barney in celebration of Pebbles' birth, saying that they contaminate the air and are harmful to the baby. Frightenshale next declares that Fred is "not antiseptic" and forbids him contact with Pebbles unless he wears rubber gloves and a germs-blocking mask, which Fred grudgingly agrees to administer to his person and which frighten the baby. Pebbles cries and Frightenshale accuses Fred of deliberately scaring his daughter. Fred's limited patience is hence exhausted and he fires the vexing nurse, after supposedly learning from a Dr. Rock baby book how to feed and diaper-change his infant. Wilma is angry at Fred's arbitrary dismissal of frightful Frightenshale and says that she will hold Fred responsible for the decision, despite Fred's confident plan to attain a leave of absence from work and assume the nurse's duties. He claims to have a foolproof daily schedule for this but fails to include thereon time for the washing of dishes and the laundry. Fred also did not expect 2 A.M. feedings for Pebbles. Drained of energy during his daily household travails, Fred leaves Pebbles on top a of a laundry hamper while he puts cleaned bed sheets on the Flintstone clothesline and falls asleep. Wilma removes Pebbles from the laundry hamper before handing the hamper to the man assigned to transport its contents to the Bedrock Laundromat and Fred awakes from his nap, notices that the laundry have been collected, panics with the belief that Pebbles was unknowingly mixed with the bundle of fabric and scurries to the Laundromat to jump into the washing machines in a futile search for his daughter in the soapy water. Wilma learns about the mistake and telephones the Laundromat to convey the message that Pebbles is safe in her crib. Wet and weary, Fred admits that he cannot cope with the rigours of baby-caretaking and Frightenshale reappears, banishing Fred to the garage after Fred sneezes from his exposure to the Laundromat water.
Ms. Frightenshale's Rules[]
- "No smoking in the same house with the baby".
- "No flowers. Anything that might come in contact with this baby must be sterilized".
- "No visitors".
- (After catching Fred playing with Pebbles) - "Put her down till I say different".
- (After being fired by Fred) - "I never stay where I'm not wanted".
- (After being rehired) - "The baby will be quarantined from all contagious adults".
Characters[]
- Fred Flintstone
- Wilma Flintstone
- Barney Rubble
- Betty Rubble
- Pebbles Flintstone
- Pearl Slaghoople (mentioned)
- Laundry Man (only appearance)
- Ms. Frightenshale (only appearance)
- Mr. Rockenheimer (only appearance)
- Officer (only appearance)
Locations[]
Bedrock[]
- Flintstone home
- Bedrock Laundromat (only appearance)
- Rockville Hospital
Objects[]
Animals[]
Vehicles[]
- Wheelchair (only appearance)
- Flintmobile
- Police motorcycle
Quotes[]
Cast[]
| Alan Reed | Fred Flintstone |
|---|---|
| Jean Vander Pyl | Wilma Flintstone Pebbles Flintstone Ms. Frightenshale |
| Mel Blanc | Barney Rubble Dino Mr. Rockenheimer |
| Bea Benaderet | Betty Rubble |
| Doug Young | Officer Laundry Man |
Notes/Trivia[]
- Fred reads a book by Dr. Rock, which is a reference to Dr. Spock.
Allusions[]
- The episode title is a nod to the 1959 movie Carry On, Nurse.
Errors[]
- Wilma went into Bedrock Hospital in the previous episode, but she came out in this episode of Rockville Hospital!
| Season 3 of The Flintstones |
|---|
| "Dino Goes Hollyrock" • "Fred's New Boss" • "Barney the Invisible" • "Bowling Ballet" • "The Twitch" • "Here's Snow in Your Eyes" • "The Buffalo Convention" • "The Little Stranger" • "Baby Barney" • "Hawaiian Escapade" • "Ladies' Day" • "Nuthin' But the Tooth" • "High School Fred" • "Dial 'S' for Suspicion" • "Flash Gun Freddie" • "The Kissing Burglar" • "Wilma the Maid" • "The Hero" • "The Surprise" • "Mother-in-Law's Visit" • "Foxy Grandma" • "Fred's New Job" • "The Dress Rehearsal" • "Carry On, Nurse Fred" • "Ventriloquist Barney" • "The Big Move" • "Swedish Visitors" • "The Birthday Party" |